Definition of: both

(bōth) adjective
The two inclusively or together: Both girls laughed.
—pron. The two; the one and the other; the pair: Both of the girls were there.
—adverb & conj. Equally; alike; as well: with and: The bill passed both the House and the Senate. [<ON badhir] Synonyms: twain, two. As an adjective or pronoun both emphasizes the idea of two and should not be connected with or refer to more than two objects. But as a conjunction both has a more extended meaning than it has as an adjective or a pronoun; thus, it is permissible to say, “He lost all his livestock-both horses, cows and sheep.” When so used it emphasizes the extent or comprehensiveness of the assertion. Twain is a nearly obsolete form of two. The two, or the twain, is practically equivalent to both; both, however, expresses a closer unity. Compare EVERY.